Phys 134 Week 3

Rectilinear Motion
Learning Outcomes
1. Understand how the ideas of displacement and average velocity
help us describe straight line motion.
2. Know the meaning of instantaneous velocity; the difference
between velocity and speed.
3. Use average acceleration and instantaneous acceleration to
describe changes in velocity.
4. Use equations to solve problems that involve straight-line
motion with constant acceleration.
Dimensional Analysis
A method of analysis in which physical quantities are expressed in terms of their fundamental dimensions.
Taking the road sign as the reference point.
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Interpreting the graph.
An object is moving in the positive direction if the line is
located in the positive region of the graph (whether it is
sloping up or sloping down). An object is moving in the
negative direction if the line is located in the negative region
of the graph (whether it is sloping up or sloping down). If a
line crosses over the x-axis from the positive region to the
negative region of the graph (or vice versa), then the object
has changed directions.
The slope of the line on a velocity-time graph reveals
useful information about the acceleration of the object. If
the acceleration is zero, then the slope is zero (i.e., a
horizontal line). If the acceleration is positive, then the
slope is positive (i.e., an upward sloping line). If the
acceleration is negative, then the slope is negative (i.e., a
downward sloping line).
You normally drive from Glasgow to Edinburgh via M8 motorway
at an average speed of 72 km/h, and the trip takes 1 h and 2 min.
At peak times, however, heavy traffic slows you down and
you drive the same distance at an average speed of only 49 km/h.
How much longer does the trip take?

Starting from the front door of a farmhouse, you walk 60.0 m due
east to a windmill, turn around, and then slowly walk 40.0 m west
to a bench, where you sit and watch the sunrise. It takes you 28.0 s
to walk from the house to the windmill and then 36.0 s to walk
from the windmill to the bench. For the entire trip from the front
door to the bench, what are your (a) average velocity and (b)
average speed?
A block is sliding with constant acceleration down an incline. The block starts from rest
at t = 0 and has speed 3.00 m/s after it has traveled a distance 8.00 m from its starting
point. (a) What is the speed of the block when it is a distance of 16.0 m from its t = 0
starting point? (b) How long does it take the block to slide 16.0 m from its starting
point?
An underground train starts from rest at a station and accelerates at a rate of 1.60 m/s2 for 14.0 s.
It runs at constant speed for 70.0 s and slows down at a rate of 3.50 m/s2 until it stops at the next
station. Find the total distance covered.

A ball starts from rest and rolls down a hill with uniform acceleration, traveling 200 m during
the second 5.0 s of its motion. How far did it roll during the first 5.0 s of motion?

A sprinter runs a 100 m dash in 12.0 s. She starts from rest with a constant acceleration ax for
3.0 s and then runs with constant speed for the remainder of the race. What is the value of ax?

A car and a truck start from rest at the same instant, with the car initially at some distance
behind the truck. The truck has a constant acceleration of 2.10 m/s2, and the car has an
acceleration of 3.40 m/s2. The car overtakes the truck after the truck has moved 60.0 m. (a) How
much time does it take the car to overtake the truck? (b) How far was the car behind the truck
initially? (c) What is the speed of each when they are abreast?